1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to tools and more specifically a bricklayer's tool.
2. Background Art
Numerous brick tongs exist in the prior art that utilize complementary gripping jaws. Examples of such tongs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 800,341; 835,376; 1,091,260; 1,153,269; 1,364,128; 1,385,867; 1,581,077; 3,129,029; and 5,039,150. In any of these tongs, the complementary gripping jaws are brought into engagement with the faces of bricks through a connected handle. The complementary gripping jaws are separated from each through slide and guide tubes. The distance between the complementary gripping jaws depends upon the position of the slide tube relative to the guide tube. The slide tube slides and removably engages the guide tube over the outer surface of the guide tube. The length of the entire slide and guide tube assembly is adjusted through a pin inserted into any one of a multiplicity of holes set forth axially along each of the slide and guide tubes. The pin is inserted through the holes of both the slide and guide tubes, which results in fixing the length of the entire slide and guide tube.
As described above, in order to adjust for varying sizes of bricks or varying numbers of bricks, a user must disengage the pin inserted into one of the holes in the slide and guide tube assembly, subsequently adjust the length of the slide and guide tubes, and reinsert the pin through another set of holes corresponding to the desired length of the slide and guide tube assembly. This requires additional time and steps in order to adjust the brick tool. Moreover, the pin and various other parts associated with the pin can be lost or misplaced.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clamping tong that is easily adjustable wherein the complementary gripping or clamping jaws are adjustable through a simple gliding mechanism.